franklin mineral museum

This is a nice museum with an extra attraction for mineral collectors.You can collect your own at the Buckwheat Mine Dump and they only charge a small fee and minerals by the pound.I have been going there for years and always enjoy the experience.

It's nice but not that large. Not much to see. There's no tour guide or anyone to give you any information on anything. You pay go in and look around by yourself.

This little museum is a great compliment to the Sterling mine museum nearby. As a history teacher, I really enjoyed the exhibit of Native American artifacts, and prehistoric hominid skull casts. The coolest part was going down to the rock dump (extra charge). Where you can poke around, and even bring a Hammer and goggles and try to find fluorescent rocks. You get to keep 2 lbs to take home. They provide sheds with black lights to see if the rocks you picked up glow or not, and I'd say about 75% of the ones we found glowed. It took some trial and error to figure out the right color and texture of ones that we thought would glow, but that was definitely part of the fun of it. They look like ordinary rocks in the sunlight, but it was very exciting for my 8 year old son to walk back up the hill to try them out in the shed, and see if we chose correctly. Definitely worth the trip.

I live only a half hour away and now wonder why I don't go more often. Very nice museum with tours and interactive 'Panning' for minerals. All smiles on visitor's faces (and staff members too). You can spend a half hour or a half day. Good rainy day place.

I enjoyed visiting the entire place. The staff is knoledgable and very happy to answer any questions. The displays of all of the minerals was impressive and it was fun going out to the mound of rocks and minerals to see if you could find some of the minerals that are in the museum.

Took my step-son here last week on a rainy day. At first glance, the place may seem outdated and possibly boring but give it a try. Not expensive. Once you get in and see all they have, you will find that you will have a fun time. Do the tour, it's very interesting. Very informative. My step-son now has a new interest! And it doesn't involve video games! Woo-hoo! He now wants to see the other mine in the area, Sterling Underground Mine. So a review of that place is to follow in a few weeks!

The Franklin-Sterling Hill mining district of New Jersey is geologically unique with over 360 minerals found in one locality, 8% of all known minerals and more than anywhere else in the world; over 85 of the minerals found here fluoresce which is also a world record. This museum focuses on this unique mineralogy with an excellent fluorescent mineral exhibit, a replica mine and a mine dump where one can collect their own fluorescent mineral specimens, plus an extensive collection of minerals from around the world, a collection of Native American stone tools and artifacts, and a large collection of fossils. Visitors can purchase admission to just the museum, just access to the mine dump, which includes keeping two pounds of the mineral specimens that you collect, or a combination ticket for both at a discount. We chose the combination ticket and we were very happy with this decision. The fluorescent mineral part of the museum is outstanding and provided an overview of what to look for when we went to collect in the mine dump. After viewing the fluorescent minerals, we proceeded to the mine dump (recommend early arrival as it can get very hot out in the open, on the rocks) were we had so much fun and the kids were so engaged, we spent the next couple hours collecting specimens. There is a huge pile of rocks covering about three acres and finding interesting specimens was not difficult at all. To assist, there is a shed with UV lights so that one can examine their rocks before deciding whether or not to keep them; note than one lamp is short wave and the other long wave, with virtually all fluorescing best under short wave, be sure to use the right light before you make your decision. Unfortunately, the mine dump is down a steep hill and the shed with UV lights is at the top; to minimize climbing, we gathered one of many different looking rocks; climbed backup to screen them under the UV then went back down and found additional samples of the more interesting ones. At about midday, we ended up with well over two pounds each that we wanted to keep, fortunately the additional per pound charge was very reasonable. We then took a look around more of the museum; it is overwhelming there are so many amazing specimens. I suspect that even the biggest rock hound is going to tire so I would recommend walking through and spending time on things that catch your eye rather than trying to study it all. We took a quick look in the replica mine but did not spend any time there due to the crowd and our plans to take the Sterling Hill Mine tour. We highly recommend combining these two activities and making a day of it. The Sterling Mine is less than 10 min away and we took the tour, which was at 1pm, after which we returned to the Franklin Mineral Museum where we were readmitted at no additional cost to spend some more time in the museum and to look through the gift shop which has many impressive mineral specimens for sale. One word of caution, if you go on a weekday during the school year as we did, expect several bus loads of students on field trips. This was the reason for the crowded replica mine but the large number of students was not too much of an inconvenience as there is lots of room in the mine dump. While there were waits to use the UV lights in the shed at times, the wait was not long and seeing the excitement of the kids was rewarding itself. We had a great time both here and at the Sterling Hill Mine, with the highlight clearly being the collecting of our own fluorescent mineral specimens in the mine dump. Back less than a month, the kids are already asking when we can go back; unfortunately, it is a long way from home.

Interesting small tour of what was the power house of the Franklin Mine. The tour is interesting and low key. The first part is an explanation of what rocks and minerals are along with fossils. The second part is a tour through a simulated mine showing how they worked from ca 1850 through the closure of the mines in the 1950s.There is an option to allow members of the party to add taking minerals from the rock dump for an extra 3 dollars for the kids and 5 dollars for the adults. You can combine the allowances (2 lbs of florescent minerals per person of all those in your party to one bag.Note the rock dump is down a steep hill and is NOT recommended for the elderly or infirm. My advice would be to add this extra to the strongest adult and all of the children interested. I would not add this for adults not interested in gathering minerals.

As a mineral and fossil collector, this place and Sterling Mine are meccas. The museum is well-done, with a spectacular fluorescent room. There are also specimens to buy. If you are interested in earth sciences ( a neglected field), this is a great place to go.

Great little museum illustrating the mining of minerals in the area. Couple with the Sterling Mining Museum, for a great and memorable adventure.

This was a nice time, but just didn't compare to the Sterling Mining museum in Ogdensburg. I think that if you love rocks, just check them both out.

I myself use to work here. Great place for all ages of kids. Small and old. I went here when I was in the 6th grade for class trips. Great way to start the kids on a small collection of the Fl. minerals. It has a great Fl room and the sounds you hear from the kids will amaze you when you see all the colors.

Great place for school trips and family trips. I've been going there for well over 20 years. I'm never tired of looking at all the stones and artifacts they have. It's hard to imagine the way people worked and functioned back in the day! Pick up a geode at the gift shop and break it open with a hammer. Hard to imagine an ugly rock could be so beautiful inside.

Franklin, NJ coupled with its close neighbor Ogdensburg, NJ (location of the Sterling Hill Mine and Museum) are the home of the world's most famous zinc mines. The Franklin mine is especially famous for mineral fluorescence, and variety of rare species. There are over 4,000 mineral specimens on display, including those that are on display in the 33 foot long fluorescent display in the fluorescent room. The museum's fluorescent display has a dazzling array of the world's most brilliant and colorful fluorescent minerals. The Indian room has a collection of native American stone tools and cultural artifacts. Next to the Indian room is the fossil room that, including many varieties of plant, marine and wildlife fossils. It is also home to one of the nicest petrified wood displays with cut and polished slabs nearly four feet in diameter! "Welsh Hall," largest of the three rooms in the Jensen Annex, houses a systematic collection of world-wide minerals, the largest, most comprehensive mineral collection on public display in the world.

They have a nice collection of rocks and minerals.....Have come to this place many many times as I used to drive a school bus....have always gone in to tour....granted go on a warm day tho!